"Mehta is the president of Sim Gems USA, a diamond dealer that sources investment-worthy stones for discerning billionaires; his customers include Nita Ambani, the wife of the richest man in Asia. Mehta had only recently learned of Lubeck's work. In August, she was revealed as the designer of Taylor Swift's engagement ring-an old-mine brilliant cut set in a yellow-gold band that Lubeck engraved by hand. (Good luck zooming in on the photos.)"
"Lubeck, who has aquamarine eyes and long, wavy hair, cuts an ethereal figure, like an elven noble. Her father is a goldsmith, and she spent much of the pandemic in her home town, a coastal community in Florida called Neptune Beach, shadowing him at his shop. She became obsessed with metalsmithing, and started pursuing it full time, honing an antique-inspired aesthetic that quickly gained traction on social media."
Celebrity and ultrawealthy demand is driving a resurgence of enormous engagement rings and antique gems, with old-mine-cut diamonds prized for their unique optical character. Jewelry designer Kindred Lubeck crafted an old-mine brilliant set in a yellow-gold band and hand-engraved it for a high-profile client, catalyzing auctions and collector interest. Dealers like Sim Gems USA source investment-grade stones for billionaires and connected buyers. Lubeck trained with her goldsmith father during the pandemic, developed an antique-inspired metalsmithing aesthetic, built a social-media following, and saw her engraved rings featured in closed auctions and Sotheby's sales.
Read at The New Yorker
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